The present invention is directed to a photographic processor having a backwashing assembly to wash the non-emulsion side of photographic film.
Photographic processors come in a variety of shapes and sizes from large wholesale photographic processors to small micro-labs. As photographic processors become more and more technologically sophisticated, there is a continued need to make the photographic processor as user-friendly and as maintenance-free as possible.
Currently available photographic processors have one or more of the following shortcomings: (1) the film processing time is relatively long; (2) some photographic processors, because of their size, require a large amount of space; (3) some photographic processors may require an unacceptable amount of developing solution due to the design of the processing tank; and (4) some photographic processor generate an unacceptable amount of solution waste due to the design of the processing tank.
Some photographic processors that address the above shortcomings include a single processing chamber. In a processor having a single processing chamber, all the processing steps are set up on the emulsion side of the media. With this type of arrangement, it is difficult to achieve sufficient washing of the non-emulsion side of the media.
The present invention addresses some of the difficulties and problems discussed above by the discovery of a novel, compact, and portable photographic processor having an internal drum design, which minimizes the chemicals required to process a roll of film and consequently minimizes the amount of waste generated per roll of film processing. The photographic processor is extremely user-friendly and low maintenance.
The processor of the present invention enables the washing of the non-emulsion side of the media by providing for the engagement of a backwashing mechanism or washing assembly. The engagement of the backwashing mechanism or washing assembly can be performed in a manual or automated manner. The washing assembly of the present invention is adapted to wash the non-emulsion side of media or film in the same chamber as other processing chemicals and aids in the cleaning of the processing chamber before the next processing step or stage.
The present invention accordingly relates to a photographic processor which comprises a circular processing drum that defines a processing chamber for processing photographic film therein, with an outer perimeter of the drum comprising a slot through which processed film which is processed in the processing chamber is removed. The slot is in communication with a film path in the drum. The outer perimeter further comprises an aperture located upstream of the slot with respect to a direction of travel of the processed film when the processed film is removed through the slot, and the aperture opens to the film path in the processing chamber. The processor further comprises a washing assembly that includes a nozzle arrangement. The nozzle arrangement is positioned at the aperture to supply washing solution to a surface of the processed film in the film path as the processed film is being removed through the slot.
The present invention further relates to a photographic processor which comprises a processing drum for processing photographic film therein, with an outer perimeter of the drum comprising a slot through which processed film which is processed in the processing drum is removed. The slot is in communication with a film path in the drum. The processor further comprises rollers provided adjacent to the slot for conveying processed film from the film path and through the slot; and washing means for delivering washing solution to a surface of the processed film in the film path at a location upstream of the rollers with respect to a direction of travel of the processed film when the processed film is being removed through the slot, and delivering washing solution to the rollers.
The present invention further relates to a method of processing photographic material, comprising the steps of inserting film to be processed into a circular processing drum, with the film being inserted through a slot in an outer perimeter of the circular processing drum; supplying at least one processing solution onto an emulsion surface of the film in the processing drum to process the film; discharging the at least one processing solution from the processing drum; supplying a first washing solution into the processing drum and onto at least the emulsion surface of the film, discharging the washing solution from the processing drum; removing the processed film from the processing drum through the slot; and supplying a second washing solution to a non-emulsion side of the processed film as the processed film is removed through the slot.
The present invention further relates to a method of washing processed photographic film, comprising the steps of: supplying a first washing solution onto a first surface of photographic film after the photographic film has been processed in a processing drum; removing the processed film from the processing drum; and supplying a second washing solution onto a second surface of the photographic film as the photographic film is removed from the processing drum.
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a review of the following detailed description of the disclosed embodiments and the appended claims.